Most people think of jellyfish as a nuisance at the beach or, at best, cool–looking translucent blobs that you wouldn’t want to touch. For Dr. John Dabiri, associate professor of aeronautics and bioengineering at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), they are elegant and complex creatures whose systems of defense and movement may help address engineering problems that range from energy conservation to human health.

Jellyfish are the oldest, simplest, and arguably most successful species of swimming animal in the world. Learn how a biology-inspired approach to engineering has placed jellyfish at the center of efforts to build next-generation underwater vehicles, design more versatile onshore wind power, and even to diagnose heart failure.

The Dauphin Island Sea Lab is proud to sponsor this dynamic speaker, Dr. John Dabiri, who was named by Popular Science magazine one of its "Brilliant 10" scientists in 2008. For more information on Dr. Dabiri’s research, visit http://dabiri.caltech.edu/people/dabiri.html